Not Me.

I promise that's not me. Different guy. Although I live just five miles from this precinct I live across the county line. Nope. I'm not running for any office. Promise. 

Low Tech

 

Last night was the first class of my last "real" class at SMU. All that remains after this is a capstone project which I will begin next semester. The professor of this class was the professor of the very first class I took in this Masters program. When I saw the course schedule I thought it would be fitting to end with Dr. Swaim who I admire very much. He's a true inspiration. Nice way to bookend the program. Not sure what I'm going to do with all my free time after this class is over. I will probably take a break for awhile although they are already recruiting me to continue on in the department for a doctorate. It may be a long time before I have that kind of energy again. 

Side note: We met in a fully modern classroom in the Life Sciences Building on campus. This class, like all the others I've had in different buildings at SMU, is outfitted with LCD projectors, sound systems, retracting screens, computers, charging stations, the works. Weirdly enough there was an overhead projector in the corner. Don't see those in use much anymore. I've got one in the corner of my classroom but haven't used it in years. It's just a decoration. 

But weirdest of all was that there were no white boards. On the wall was a very nice set of overlapping wood-framed chalkboards. Extremely retro. I have a center white board in my classroom but I have stubbornly kept all my wall chalkboards as well. I love my chalkboards. I have refused to let maintenance take them away and replace them with shiny new white boards. I have heard that when we move to the new building next year there will be no chalkboards.

So I texted the picture above to my principal and said look, chalkboards are still being used in the most advanced settings. Can I keep mine for the new room? He texted back "absolutely!" I think he may be joking. I am not. I want to keep my chalkboards.

The Force Awakens Review

So I waited a long time to post my thoughts on the new Star Wars. I always admire critics who can shoot out a rapid fire response on a single viewing. I like to process and I wanted to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens twice before making a judgement call. Here are some of my random thoughts. Spoiler alert for those who still have yet to see this movie.

Once again, SPOILERS follow.

Force Awakens was better than any of the prequels but not nearly as good as the Original Trilogy. This is not mere nostalgia speaking. I have my reasons for placing it fourth in the pantheon. I liked the movie but when the ending credits began to roll I had no desire to applaud. I was entertained but I was not left in awe. I actually felt more awe after J.J. Abram's Star Trek movies than I did for his Star Wars. Movies that come immediately to mind that left me with a sense of awe after seeing them in the theater: The Matrix, Interstellar, Star Trek (J.J. Abrams), The Bourne Supremacy, The Avengers, The Dark Knight...just to name a few in a similar genre. I didn't get that feeling with The Force Awakens. Maybe I was too beaten down by all the cross-promotions thrown at me for a year before the movie opened.

BUT: I did feel that awe for the first 40 minutes of The Force Awakens. I thought the first half of the movie was excellent. It then began to feel redundant when once again they go to destroy a planet killing weapon. Star Wars has not only used this plot device once, but twice! A third time felt lazy and anti-climatic. The outcome was already known. Yeah, they tried to show that the Starkiller Base was much much bigger than a Death Star but that felt forced. Lame plot device.

I thought Rey was excellently portrayed. I loved BB-8. I thought Finn was okay but he still didn't feel like an ex-stormtrooper gone good. I would expect a former stormtrooper who had been brainwashed his whole life to not so easily switch allegiances. I expect more inner turmoil. I expect a different personality from a hardened soldier than the glib "DID YOU SEE THAT!? DID YOU SEE THAT!?" or "Yes, Yes I am with the Resistance." Just a little too goofy from an ex-First Order soldier. But he was okay. The acting was fine.

It was jarring at the beginning not to hear the 20th Century Fox fanfare before the movie. That has become as much a part of the Star Wars movies as anything. I know Disney has the rights now. But the opening credits seemed weird without the old fanfare. I realize I'm quibbling.

Harrison Ford did a much better job reprising Han Solo than I expected. He's been so lousy in recent movies. But he was great. So was Carrie Fisher. All the originals did well.

I like Poe but his opening response to Kylo Ren was dumb...the whole "who talks first, you talk, I talk" took away from the sinister nature of what's about to happen. Maybe they wanted to lighten the tension a bit, but it seemed fakey.

Speaking of Kylo Ren: I'm all over the place with this guy. I liked him at first then he became a whiny emo kid. And killing Han Solo? Don't know if I'll ever get over that. And I found it a stretch that he would kill his own father. Maybe I'm naive. I am looking forward to seeing his development. Not sure if he'll be able to ever come back from the bad side. I guess Anakin did but we never saw him kill his own family. He came close but the worst we saw him do was take out jedi younglings and the camera turned away to shield us from his most barbaric act.

I thought Hux overacted his big speech to the point of self-parody. Snoke is terrible. His CG effects are already outdated. I'm hoping this will be a Wizard of Oz ploy and the guy behind the Snoke curtain is a villain we can believe in.

The effects were good. The story great in the first half, weak in the second half. Not bad...but not nearly as good as it should have been. 

Super Early Predictions

photo: Trump and Hillary when they were friends

I've been dead wrong on previous election predictions so take these with a massive grain of salt. I did say Mitt would win the last GOP nomination but I figured Rick Perry would give him a serious run for his money. Oops. 

But here's my gut instinct and it's not an original thought...it fits with most of the conventional wisdom:

This is about Hillary. If Trump or Cruz win the GOP nomination then it's a done deal. Once those guys enter the even harsher glare of a national election, they're cooked. There's only so many angry white men who vote. 

Rubio and Jeb might have a chance in a general election but they got an uphill battle just to win the nomination. Jeb is pretty much done. Rubio still has some life and I give him the best chance against Hillary. I have no hard data to back any of this up. Just pure speculation. 

Hillary will easily win the support of women and minorities. She will probably eventually win independents when they look at the alternatives. The problem for Cruz and Trump is there's not enough angry white men to turn the election to their favor. I'm still thinking the GOP will somehow come through and Trump and Cruz will be gently nudged out. My early guess is Rubio will be the GOP's man. I just haven't come to terms with either a Trump or Cruz nomination. And as much as a I despise Trump...I think I'd rather have Trump than Cruz. Cruz is an extremist and even his own party can't stand him.

As for me personally? I'm for Bernie. But he has no chance.

Annabeth

This past Saturday we invited a new kitten into our home. My son named her Annabeth after a character in the Percy Jackson series. The sign on her cage at the shelter warned that she was very scared and very shy. She was feral and just hid in the corner every day. But every time we picked her up she purred like crazy and hugged and kneaded us. The guy at the shelter seemed to think she would be fine once she felt comfortable in a new home. She had only been at the shelter a week and was still very young. We were smitten.

But she didn't make it. She continued to purr every time we picked her up and she loved to snuggle. But she didn't move and she didn't eat or drink. That final night we tried using a water dropper to keep her hydrated. Finally we decided the shelter was wrong. She wasn't merely scared or nervous, she was sick. And it was too late. Our vet did not know why she was sick. It wasn't viral. But she was too far gone for the vet to save her and her three month old system couldn't fight back.

After two days in our home we lost her. Amazing how sad we feel about a kitten that was only in our lives for two days. We will always remember her. At least she ended her short life in a comfortable and quiet setting with people who showed her loving attention. That's the best spin I can put on it now.

Church Hunting

After my father passed, it was very difficult to continue attending the church he had pastored. It wasn't anything the people of the church did. It was just that I saw my Dad everywhere. I saw him on the things he had hung on the wall or the Sunday School rooms he had renovated. I saw him behind the pulpit and in the foyer. Going to Central Church became too painful. The weight of tragedy oppressed me every Sunday. So we made up our minds to make a clean break after the holidays. We wanted a fresh start. Only problem was that there wasn't an obvious landing spot for us when it came to churches. 

Both my wife and I had grown up in the Nazarene church, we had met at a Nazarene university and we were believers in Nazarene doctrine. However, there was no real Nazarene alternative for us anywhere close. And we realized, after attending a non-denominational church on Sunday evenings for several years, that doctrine matters. No church will fit your worldview completely but the main ideas definitely should jibe. 

So for us that meant Methodism. The Nazarene church had branched out of Methodism back in the day. We like the Wesleyan-Arminianism stuff. Nazarene and Methodist doctrines are virtually identical. And I actually have quite a heritage in Methodism on my mother's side including ancestors who were pastors in the Methodist Church. I'm talking Methodist pastors in the family going back to the nineteenth century. So we began to look for a church, a Methodist church. 

My wife and I had never really had to find a new church before. I now empathize with those who are searching for a church home. It's a strange experience to just walk into a new building if no one has invited you. It takes courage to go to a new place. Coming from churchgoing backgrounds made it much easier for us than if we were new to the faith and trying to find a place to worship. The experience has made me much more sensitive to those who have not yet found a church home and have difficulty beginning the search. That takes courage.

We also had it easier than most because we had narrowed down our options to a particular denomination. Because of our upbringing and theological education we had a rudimentary knowledge of different denominations. I can't imagine how hard it must be for those new to faith looking for a church. The number of denominations and non-demominations and inter-denominations and sub-denominations can be bewildering.

Everyone is searching for different things in a church. We were looking for a healthy children's program, friendly people close to our age, a well organized service and a pastor with a burden to show Christ's love to the world. Overt politics and nationalism were a deal breaker. One church we visited was proud to announce a concealed gun license class from the pulpit. We almost walked out right then. Maybe our expectations were too high. We were not looking for perfection. We were looking for a church that exuded love and compassion, not an "us against them" mentality. We were looking for an "us for them" church.

After several weeks and several visits we have found a church we're going to focus on for awhile. We really hope to make this church our home. I'd like this to be a long-term relationship. I'm actually excited about going to church on Sundays again. I can't wait for Sundays. It's not a big church. But they exude love. I know after awhile the warts will show like all churches. We're not the type to bail during rough times.We're not perfect either. We got warts. But God loves us anyway. I think that's the whole point.

MLK

Better Already

Weezer has announced a new album coming out April 1st. They say it's not a joke. It will be self-titled and the speculation is it will be known as the White Album (guess it's dedicated to me). Sweet!

Rumors are also amping up that Radiohead will also release a new album sometime this year. Wow!

That would be enough to make 2016 better than last year. But M Ward also is releasing a new album in March called More Rain.

Word around the campfire is that Local Natives, Gungor and Brazzaville are also dropping discs this year as well. Epic music year. Glad I asked for all those iTunes gift cards for Christmas.

Very nice indeed. My iPod will be very busy.

Yes, I still use an iPod.

New cam

 

So I got my son an ion Air Pro camera for his birthday. I'm actually probably going to use it as much as he will. He really wanted one last year for Christmas but I was unwilling to spend $300 for it. But around last Thanksgiving I was wandering the aisles at walmart and stopped at the GoPro display. Then I noticed three boxes of Air Pros on the bottom shelf. I was stunned at the price. They had been marked down to $39.99!

I asked the sales associate what the deal was. Last year they cost upwards of $300 and now they were priced at less then $40?  She said they were a Black Friday special and those were what was left. I had researched this item and knew it was a good camera. I figured $40 was not a big risk. So I snagged it. 

So far the thing is pretty impressive. WiFi connectivity allows you to download videos from the camera to your phone. I haven't mounted it to the bike yet but I look forward to testing it out on the road. I also hope to use it while skiing or hiking or whatever. So far the quality of video has been very good. 

Thunder

This scene is right outside my classroom window. The photo does not convey the thundering and the smashing of the mechanical beasts. The pounding actually vibrates though my student's desks. Guess I better get used to it. Probably another year or so of the breaking of concrete. The road to the future is often filled with great clamor and activity. But hopefully a sparkling new school will be worth it all. 

Chiefs!

Finally! The Chiefs win their first playoff game since 1993! My desk is celebrating. Now, if Kansas City can go into New England and defeat the defending Super Bowl champions...that would be something. I didn't think the Royals would win the World Series either. 

Birthday

We are blessed beyond measure to have this little guy in our lives. Not so little anymore! He's a great kid who has made parenting easy. Happy Birthday to my son! 

Quiet Stillness

 

We spent most of the Holidays on the family farm in the Hoosier National Forest in southern Indiana. No internet down there. You can't get a signal for your cell phone unless you trudge up the big hill by the big barn. It's pretty quiet in the Holler. For someone like me who likes to keep up to speed with Facebook and Twitter, it's a nice way to force a tech sabbatical. School has started again. The schedule has amped up. During the busyness I like to think about the sound of that bubbling creek and the quiet stillness of the valleys on the farm. 

Kindness

Today my Dad would have been 65 years old. I'm going to honor his memory by doing my best to be kind to everyone today even when I don't quite feel like it. Because he was always kind...even to those who didn't deserve his kindness. It was just his nature.

Good Bye Ringo

photo: That's Ringo up there...he really liked playing in boxes. 

I don't want to be a downer but 2015 was a pretty lousy year for us. Yes, there were some great moments however, we lost a lot of loved ones this past year or so. I lost my father to cancer. My wife's grandmother passed away. Last Christmas (2014) we lost our beloved cat Simba to kidney failure. Yesterday we lost our cat of seventeen years, Ringo, to old age. 

Ringo joined our family three weeks after our wedding in July of 1998. He was our first baby. He was a beautiful cat. He was pretty crazy for the first couple of years before he finally settled into a regal maturity that defined most of his life. He was very social and liked to come out and visit with those who came to our house as guests. He was gracious to the new cats that joined our household along the way. When Simba joined our family in 2002 Ringo was very accepting. And this past July he welcomed our newest kitten Athena in a friendly manner. 

I never thought I'd grow so attached to pets. But when you have an animal in your life for so long they really do become a part of the family. Ringo was just a few months shy of eighteen years old. He lived a good long life and brought us a lot of happiness. 

So for us, the new year starts today. We are putting all those tragedies in the 2015 column. We really hope that 2016 can go a bit easier on us as far as losing loved ones.

Christmas Eve

Merry Christmas from the family farm!

Guns

This was at the local CVS. Sometimes I think I live in the Wild Wild West. 

Ice Skating

Last night my niece performed in her Holiday Ice Show. She did an amazing job! She will be an Olympian! 

POV

I try to teach my students to always look at the opposing side's point of view.

Post Star Wars

The next morning after the 10 pm showing of Star Wars. Tough life for an eight year old. Good thing it was a Saturday. 

Star Wars!

This was us last night heading to the theater to catch the new Star Wars. I will post a review in a few days. I don't want to give away any spoilers. 

Attack of the Bobble Heads

A student gave me Yoda bobble head for Christmas today. Goes along very well with the Kylo Ren a student gave me a couple of days ago. 

I'm not going to make the premiere of Star Wars: The Force Awakens tonight. Too many other things going on. We will catch it tomorrow. I fully expect to be disappointed. Hopefully not. 

Departmental Christmas

I'm honored to work with the finest bunch of losers in Texas. Merry Christmas to the greatest Social Studies Department in the Lone Star State and America!

Star Wars Fatigue

Anyone who knows me can attest that I am a huge Star Wars fan. The very first movie I ever saw in the theater was Star Wars (it wasn't called A New Hope yet) in 1977 when I was four years old. I remember standing in line for the movie with my uncle and my Mom and Dad. I collected tons of Star Wars toys. I still have many of them lying around. From age four to eleven, Star Wars was my life.

Then the prequels came and disappointed. Then the new episodes were announced. I have watched every trailer for the J.J. Abrams and the anticipation has been growing.

Except...

In the past few weeks I've had a bit of Star Wars fatigue gnawing at me. The merchandising and cross promotions has been relentless. I mean, Star Wars always was a hard core merchandiser. But since Disney took over? They have taken it to a whole new level and I'm a pretty worn out on it all.

I still look forward to the movie. I've been trying to temper my expectations. But I'm so over the hype. And I'm over the labeling of every conceivable object with the Star Wars logo. I used to think Star Wars stuff was cool. But they've beaten the horse and jumped the shark big time. Now when I see Star Wars merch...I'm pretty much meh.

Hopefully the movie will be great.

photo: Kylo Ren bobble head given to me yesterday as a gift. Okay, I admit it's kinda cool. 

The High Cost of Living

New 7/11 opening around the corner in a couple of days. Their gas prices are ridiculous. 

Light at the End of the Tunnel

Exam Week. Light at the end of the tunnel, finally. Light for those giving the tests at least.

Groundbreaking

So after the "official" groundbreaking with all the "important" people (mayors, school board members, superintendents etc) some of us who actually use the building staged our own ceremony. Ours was more fun. 

Fett

Saw Boba Fett the other day. Seems he's put on some pounds. 

Troll Shields

I'm currently smack dab in the middle of reading Salman Rushdie's excellent memoir "Joseph Anton." I have found it riveting and a real page-turner, a description not usually attributed to autobiographies.

But the thing that sticks in my mind as I read "Joseph Anton" is the question of how someone perseveres under stinging criticism. Rushdie's criticism involved existential threats to his very life by a foreign power. He was also attacked by many in the western world who assumed that since the title of his controversial work contained the word "Satanic" then the work must be satanic itself. This, of course, was not the case. The title referenced a story where the founder of a religion was tempted to include verses that seemed to betray the basic principles of his new religion. Later it was said that it must have been Satan himself that tempted and therefore the passages in question were referred to as the Satanic Verses. In the story, the figure resists the temptation and removes the verses from the holy book.

Well, such nuances were conveniently forgotten by some in the west and Rushdie found himself taking arrows from west and east.

I've always marveled at those who could survive terrible attacks and continue on. Martin Luther, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., etc etc etc.... How did these guys do it? I've never encountered criticism or attacks on even a fraction of the scale of these guys. Yet, it still hurts when someone says something awful and unfair about me. Granted it doesn't happen a lot and I'm not usually described as sensitive. I have the thick skin of a teacher of adolescents. If I didn't have an invisible insult shield I would not have survived over a decade and a half as an public educator.

But still, trolls can grate. They can bug. They can annoy, especially on social media and the blogosphere. With the advent of blogs and comment sections back in the late '90's, I was taken aback by the vitriol of what we now call trolls. I'm pretty good at taking things with a grain of salt. But I've never had to deal with the type of personal attacks leveled at Salman Rushdie. Not even close.

If you state the truth, you can be guaranteed that you will be attacked. They crucified the Son of God for speaking the truth. How can we expect anything less?

Personal faith is certainly an anchor during such times. My faith in God has helped me withstand much in this ridiculous world. I would like to know how the a-religious do it.

I have great admiration for Salman Rushdie. He is one of my favorite writers. I don't agree with much of his world view, but he is a hero of mine nonetheless. He is a hero of mine not because of infallibility or personal perfection. I look up to him for many reasons...spectacular writing, moral courage, brilliant imagination among other things. But his ability to persevere in the midst of stinging attack...I find that truly inspiring.

To Sunshine and Happier Days

Started a new Moleskine today. Nothing like a fresh clean Moleskine with clear pages ready to be written upon. It took me a year to fill up my last Moleskine. I just didn't have the motivation to write as much as in the past. 2015 had great times, wonderful times. But unfortunately these times were too often overshadowed by tragedy, more tragedy than usual. Since September of 2014 I have lost my Grandmother, my Father, my wife's Grandmother and even a beloved cat. It's been a rough go of it.

But I have the naive hope that maybe the things written in this new Moleskine will be sunnier. And even if there is fog hopefully it won't be a malignant "Hound of the Baskervilles" fog. Hopefully any cloudiness will be a light mist, like those found in the mythical shire on a crisp morning. I really could use some sunnier times.

So I hope to write more, to get back into the habit. I need to write to pull myself from the mind-numbing screens of my iPhone and iPad. I need to write even if it's nonsense, especially if it's nonsense. I would like to do a better job of recording those little stories that blossom all around if one is truly paying attention. Each little story may seem trivial, meaningless or boring. But altogether, these narratives fill a meadow with a brightly colored carpet of exploding wildflowers. These meadows we stroll through, are our lives.

Writing helps me pay attention. The things of life slow down a bit. Writing brings me clarity. The fog dissipates faster. Writing forces me to engage, to act. And if all that sounds cheesy and if all that sounds like hack writing...so be it.

Here's to Sunshine and Happier Days...

TED Talk Tuesdays

I've been a fan of TED Talks for years. I've utilized them in my classroom and have personally been inspired by these amazing presentations on many an occasion. But over the last year I realized it had been awhile since I had watched one. So recently I implemented TED Talk Tuesdays. Every Tuesday, during my lunch break, I watch a TED Talk. TED Talks are usually required to be 18 minutes long so they fit in the lunch break perfectly. Today I watched one given several years ago by Dr. Spencer Wells about the origins of the Human species. They often spark my creativity and motivate me to finish the day out with excellence.

Vive la France

Champs

The Kansas City Royals are World Champions. 

From my Dad's eulogy which I read at his funeral on September 9th:

 "He loved baseball and nothing would give him greater pleasure than if the Kansas City Royals would win the World Series this year."

Skywalkers

For last Sunday's annual neighborhood Halloween Hayride he was Luke Skywalker (1977 A New Hope version) and his cousin was Princess Leia. 

Royals Back In

Last year it was a shock. Now not so much. The pic above is from my ticket. Yep. I'm taking my son to the World Series  Stoked! 

World Famous Hamburgers

Canton, Texas. 

Not too bad. 

Roads

The road to the family farm in Indiana. 

Unleavened

 

Salman Rushdie is one of my favorite authors. He is active on twitter and frequently interacts with his fans. Twice now he has responded to one of my tweets. This response was to a joke I made about Tolstoy's masterpiece Anna Karenina. 

Back to the Past

Well, they're in it again. Just like 1985. C'mon KC. Let's beat those Jays. #ALCS

One Month

Today marks a month since my Dad passed away. A month. Pretty shocking how fast time goes. I still can't believe he's gone. The days have gotten better, but the nights still sting.

Hipsters

Dad, me and Uncle Joe, back in the day. 

God Only Knows

My Dad was a superfan of The Beach Boys. He saw them live countless times including on their recent Fiftieth Anniversary Tour. On our living room bookshelf he had a piece of a tambourine that had shattered as Mike Love played it during a concert forty years ago. The tambourine broke in three pieces and flew out into the audience. My Dad grabbed the biggest piece as it flew his way. He had an autographed album cover by Brian Wilson hanging on the wall. He had several biographies on the group on the bookshelf. And he had every LP and then CD they ever produced...including rarities and international exports.

So I knew we had to play a Beach Boys song at his funeral service. I settled on God Only Knows, one of the most beautiful of Beach Boy songs, to play at the opening of the service. It was poignant and perfect. I'm sure that from here on out, every time I hear a Beach Boys song I'll think of him...and that's okay with me.

Here's God Only Knows, from the majestic Pet Sounds album...

Dad's Eulogy

This is the eulogy I wrote for my Dad and read at his Funeral...words do not do him justice.

Dr. John Timothy White was born January 6, 1951 in Gary, Indiana to Lester and Betty White. He passed away on September 3rd, 2015 in Dallas, Texas. He spent most of his growing up years in Tulsa, Oklahoma where he graduated from Will Rogers High School in 1969. It was at Will Rogers where he met the love of his life and wife of 43 years, Kathryn Diane Reinking. He attended college at Southern Nazarene University in Bethany, Oklahoma earning a Bachelor of Arts in Religion and a Masters of Arts in Theology. He then earned a Masters of Christian Education from Nazarene Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri and a PhD in Educational Administration from the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas. 

He served as a Pastor for the Church of the Nazarene for over thirty years. He served as Senior Pastor in Vinita, Oklahoma; Severy, Kansas; McPherson, Kansas; Pryor, Oklahoma and finally at Dallas Central Church of the Nazarene in Dallas, Texas for the final twelve years of his life. He had a great love for the Church of the Nazarene and its essential doctrine that anyone can be saved, and made holy by the supernatural grace of Jesus Christ. He gave his life to preaching that good news. St. Francis Assisi once said, “Preach the Gospel at all times and if necessary use words.” Tim White’s best sermon was his life. His compassion was endless and his love for others without boundaries. 

He was notorious for bringing his own bottle of BBQ sauce to barbecue restaurants. He was one of America’s foremost experts on Nazarene General Superintendent Hiram F. Reynolds on whom he wrote his Doctoral Dissertation. He was informally one of America’s greatest experts on The Beach Boys. He loved baseball and nothing would give him greater pleasure than if the Kansas City Royals would win the World Series this year. He loved Kansas Jayhawk basketball and wore their bright blue and red colors everywhere he went. He loved collecting toy cars and electric trains. He also loved the study of theology and collected an enormous collection of volumes of the works of John Wesley, Arminius and C.S. Lewis among others. He was a published author of numerous articles and a book on the life of the Apostle Paul. 

He was a devoted husband, father and grandfather. He took great pleasure in teaching his grandson the finer points of baseball and giving him a toy car every Sunday. He loved history, especially Civil War History. He and his wife would visit Civil War Battlefields and participate in re-enactments. He once won an award for his Union Army Chaplain uniform. He was proud of his various collections including Roy Rogers toys, flashlights, and baseball cards to name just a few. 

He is survived by his wife Kathy and his two children, David White of Forney, Texas and Elizabeth Thompson of Garland, Texas; his Daughter-in-law Kimberly White and grandson Jackson White; His Brothers Joey White of Tulsa, Oklahoma and Philip White of Bethany, Oklahoma and their wives Susan and Marilyn White; His Father-in-law and Mother-in-law Bob and Joyce Reinking of Tulsa, Oklahoma and his Brother-in-law Richard Reinking and wife Karen Reinking of Tulsa, Oklahoma and his Sister-in-law Linda Reinking of Owasso, Oklahoma. He was also very proud of his all his nephews and nieces; Greg, Jeff (and his wife Allison and their children Ethan, Brooklyn and Hannah), Emily, Allison (and her husband Steven), Courtney, Casey, Angela (and her Husband Corey and two daughters Lauren and Isabel), Amy (and her Husband Wayne), Rachael (and her husband Shawn), and Daniel.

His was a life well lived, a life lived for others. His was a life lived for Jesus Christ

Dad

Been a rough couple of weeks. A week ago today my Dad passed away. Although he had been seriously ill the last several months, his passing was unexpected. It was quite a shock. 

My Dad was one of the nicest guys you could ever meet. Nice to a fault. Forgave everyone without hesitation. I was blessed to have him as a father. 

Still hurts but I know he's not suffering and he's in a much better place. Enjoy your loved ones while you can. You never know how much time you have to spend with them. Cherish every moment. 

Can't Hide

She has indeed taken over everything. 

Good Spot

I have been parking in this spot for sixteen years...since the 90's! Today is the last time I'll be able to park here. Tonight the entire parking lot will be fenced off and turned into a contruction zone. They are building a new high school. That building there will be razed next summer...that's my classroom window there in the center. It was a great spot. I could see my car from my classroom. It will be even sadder when my classroom goes the wrecking ball. But progress must roll on!

sigh...

 

So the meetings have begun. And there will be time when the scene above will float into my head. This scene will help me stay alive. 

End of Summer

Gotta go back to work tomorrow. I love my job. But knowing I'll be spending less time with my family is always a bummer. My wife actually had to return to work last week. It's been a fun week with me and the boy. So knowing tomorrow work begins again we went out and played tennis. 

It was a fantastic summer. First year as a Table Leader at the AP grading in Utah. Spectacular vacation in St. Croix. Camping at Cooper Lake State Park, traveling to Indiana and Oklahoma to visit family, and getting a ton of projects done. Went by fast. Too fast. 

We are blessed to have fulfilling jobs and time to spend with family. Tomorrow: time to get back to work. 

Kansas City BBQ

Texans love to brag about their barbecue. Since I moved to Texas I have done my best to convince my Texas friends that they haven't had real barbecue until they've had KC BBQ. Eighteen years in DFW and I haven't found a barbecue joint that comes close to Kansas City barbecue. 

Finally two of my buddies took me up on checking out KC BBQ for themselves. These guys are really into their BBQ. And they are hardcore Texans. They were pretty skeptical. So we decided to make a mad dash, one night trip up to KC. Eight hours is not a long trip for KC BBQ. 

We got up to KC around 7 pm and went straight to Gates BBQ on The Paseo. I was a bit worried that maybe it would not be as good as I remembered. Maybe I was living off childhood nostalgia. It had been twelve years since I had last tasted KC shortends. But as soon as we opened the door I knew my memory had not failed me. The aroma was intoxicating. I ordered shortends. They ordered ribs and sausage. Just a couple of bites in and they had to concede that it was the best they had ever had. It was so good I almost cried. 

The next day we had an early lunch at Johnny's BBQ in Mission. Johnny's was my Dad's favorite BBQ place when we were living in KC. As kids we used to complain about how often we ate there. It's located across the road from my old high school and was just a little dive. But Guy Fieri's show featured the place a few years ago and they've become so popular they've opened a second Johnny's. It was nicer inside then I remembered. And the ribs were also amazing. Better then anything I've had in Texas by far. Soon there was a line out the door. 

We took off back to Texas feeling quite satisfied. I'm telling you, if you dig BBQ, a quick overnight trip to KC is worth it. 

Athena

Two weeks we rolled over to the animal shelter and adopted Athena into our home. She is wild. Always moving. Two weeks and she thinks she owns the place. 

St. Croix and so on.

Been a long time since a rock and roll. Everything, by which I mean everything, cooks by so fast. Another school year passes off very nicely. Then I'm off to Salt Lake City to grade AP exams, this year as a Table Leader, by which I mean I lead a table of graders. Then home for three days. Then off to St. Croix of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Oh my gosh a nice place. A spectacular place worthy of many a platitude that don't do justice. Back in the Mainland for three days and off to an East Texas lake for two days for a vacation from our vacation. I take my vacations seriously.